History

In the year 1925 the taxpayers and residents of Cleveland Hill decided that they should have fire protection. After much controversy and meetings, an attempt was made to create a fire district. This took many years to accomplish. In the meantime, the residents formed a fire company, which was no more than a group of people who banded together to extinguish fires without any firefighting equipment. We believe that after nine years of hard work, a hose cart holding five hundred feet of 2 and 1/2 inch hose, one straight nozzle, two axes, and one crowbar was the extent of their initial equipment.

In 1934 the Cleveland Hill Fire District #6 was created. Commissioners were elected and the process of starting a working fire district and fire company had a beginning. Previous to this time, Snyder Fire Company in Amherst and Pine Hill Hose Company in Cheektowaga answered calls to suppress fires in the Cleveland Hill fire district.

During 1934, the Cleveland Hill Fire District purchased a one room school house at the intersection of Huth Road and Harlem Road; which was on the west side of Harlem Road across from the school district. The building was remodeled and a truck room addition was planned to house their first fire truck. Unfortunately, the addition wasn’t completed on time and the truck had to be kept in a barn which was owned by Tony Rost. The firehouse was finally finished in late 1935.

The first truck owned by the Cleveland Hill Fire District was a 500 gallon-per-minute pump installed on the front end of a Ford Chassis. This truck was considered adequate and sufficient for this time period. The estimated value of the fire district at this time was less than $2,000,000. In 1941 this same truck became inadequate for fire protection for the fast growing community. The Board of Fire Commissioners purchased a new 750 gallon-per-minute pumper and the value of the fire district continued to grow, reaching $4,000,000.

Around 1945 the Cleveland Hill Fire District formed a first-aid squad and in 1948 a second piece of equipment was purchased. The new truck was a 500 gallon-per-minute pumper with a three-stage pump. It was to be used on fire and first-aid calls. An extra bay was added to the firehouse for the new apparatus. Tiarunda, or Cedar Grove Heights as it is known today, became a fire protection district under contract by the Cleveland Hill Fire District. The assessed value at this time was about $7,000,000.

During this period the Board of Fire Commissioners was negotiating property on Cleveland Drive to erect a new firehouse. Through George Doyle, Cheektowaga Town Attorney and Fire District Attorney, they finally purchased the land where the present day firehouse is located on Cleveland Drive at the corner of Merrymont Road.

In 1953 a first-aid and emergency truck was purchased. This left the two pumpers open to be used solely for firefighting.

In 1957 the Cleveland Hill Fire District was valued at $18,000,000 and the population had increased considerably. At this time the Board of Fire Commissioners and the Cleveland Hill Fire District had decided that it would be necessary to purchase additional equipment to support the current fire district. A 75-foot aerial ladder truck and a 750 gallon-per-minute pumper were purchased. Two new bays were added to the west side of the firehouse. In addition, home receivers were purchased for the firemen; thus saving considerable time in answering calls.